Collar-supporter.



P. B, REYNOLDS. COLLAR: SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED 13110.17, 19'10.

- 1,024,865. Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

WTNEssE's; INVENTOR- Frank B. R677ZOZd8.

AT 'Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. REYNOLDS, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

' GOLLAR-SUPPORTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collar-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

The invention forming the subject of this application for patent relates to collar-supporters or collar-spreaders, as they are sometimes called, and it consists in the improved construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In certain types of collar-supporters the general construction and arrangement of the parts comprise a relatively small tubular body member, open at its two ends, and a pair of headed fastening pins, fitted and mounted removably therein, the said body part being produced from a length of resilient wire, helically coiled or wound to form a straight tube, having a degree of flexibility and elasticity. As thus devised, the fasten ing pins, when in use, are quite liable to become accidentally loosened or work out, as it is termed, and lost, unless they snugly fill and fit the bore of the end portion of the tube.

The object I have in view is to materially increase the efliciency of collar-supporters of the class last referred to by eliminating the latters inherent objections or disadvantages, and at the same time adapting the tube to receive fastening-pins whose stem or shank portions may vary in size or thickness. In my improved collar-supporter the cost of manufacture is not increased; the fastening-pins maybe readily inserted and withdrawn from the tube at will; they are not liable to become accidentally disconnected or separated from the tube, the latter also being capable of holding pins varying in size in position therein with equal efficiency and safety. It may be added that the said flexible tube is well adapted to receive and hold pins having hardened steel stems, such for example as mourning pins having white or black porcelain heads.

In carrying out my invention each end portion of the flexible tubular body is bent laterally at an angle to produce in it a substantially permanent or normal set; as thus constructed, the act of inserting the relatively stifl pin into the tube causes the pin to frictionally engage opposite sides of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 17, 1910.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Serial No. 597,782.

obvious that the resilient action or holding effect of the tube upon the pins against their withdrawal is thereby increased. In

other words, the tube or body portion of my improved collar-supporter is adapted to receive and hold with equal efliciency fastening-pins varying considerably in diameter or thickness.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents my improved collarsupporter in greatly enlarged scale; the figure being a side elevation and showing a portion of the tubular body in partial longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the body member in the normal position, with the fastening-pins removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the fastening pins. Fig. 4 is an end view, showing the termination of the wire-coil at the ends of the tube; and Fig. 5 is a similar end View showing a modified construction of the terminal coil.

A, again referring to the drawings, designates the improved collar-supporter device or article, as a whole, the same comprising the flexible tubular body a and the two headed fastening or attaching-pins b. The said member a is formed from suitable wire, having a degree of flexibility and elasticity; the wire being helically wound or coiled to produce a tubular body of suitable length, having a central bore a substantially uniform in diameter throughout. A portion of each end of the body member is permanently deflected or bent laterally at an angle, as at a thereby slightly increasing or changing the distance vertically between the centers of one or more of the coils, substantially as indicated at e. IVhen thus bent, the longitudinal axes of the parts a are not in alinement with the intermediate or major portion of the body, although said end parts are capable of being sprung rearwardly until the tube is substantially straight; the longitudinal axes of the said end and intermediate portions obviously then being in alinement.

The fastening-pin b employed may have any suitable head, as 6 secured to the shank or pin-stem proper b and terminates in a sharpened puncturing portion 5 The pieces of wire, or sharpened members 29 are commercially termed pinpoints, and may be made of suitable wire, as steel, incapable of being readily bent and possessed of a degree of stiffness materially exceeding the resiliency of the said bent portion a of the tubular body. The act of inserting the stem of the pin into an end of the tubular member causes theformer to frietionally engage the adjacent opposite sides of the bore and forcibly spring the bent portion a from the normal position, shown in Fig. 2, to the operative or holding position indicated in Fig. 1. It is obvious that the size of: the inserted pin-shank determines the amount of rearward angular movement imparted to the part a. In case the diameter of the shank practically equals that of the bore the axis of the part a will then be in alinement with the other portion of the tube. In any event, however, the resiliency and tendency of the bent part a to return to its normal lateral position will cause the adjacent opposite sides of the bore to frictionally engage the shank b and hold the inserted pin in place.

In lieu of making each terminal coil concentric with the inner and outer diameters silient tube, open at its ends and formed from suitable, helically coiled wire, the end portions of the tube being normally bent at an angle with relation to the other portion of the tube, and a headed fastening or attaching-pin having its shank adapted to be readily inserted in and engage the bore of said end portion of the tube and held therein by pressure caused by the tendency of the said end part of the tube to return to its normal position.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. REYNOLDS. Witnesses Geo. I-I. REMINGTON, CALVIN H. BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G. 

